Queer cultures have SO much to teach everyone else. But on the whole, straights refuse everything that doesn’t reflect themselves or turn us into a sideshow.

We have reimagined and improved
+ the nature of a family
+ what constitutes consent
+ literally every single thing about sex
+ the nature of friendship
+ intimacy

I’m going to keep going but please, add to this list in replies!

+ the atom of relationships to others! For us it’s friendship!
+ every kind of theory and academic production of knowledge
+ what constitutes a meaningful life
+ sex is going to come up a few times bc we are IMAGINATIVE and INVENTIVE! Straights often reduce that to “horny”

+ Speaking of sex have you compared their contribution to knowledge about sexuality with ours? Really think about how much of sexology, of anthropology, of the basic study of human sexuality is entirely or mostly down to queers. Have you seen “Kinsey”? Read “Mother Camp”?

+ straights look at us and try to categorize what they’re seeing as camp or aestheticism, or pathology, or as something to pity. They look at our lives and see sin even when they don’t believe in sin itself.

+ Our response to them and to the cultures they create? Largely we try to help our conceptual and literal neighbors, or, leave them be.

+ Speaking of “Mother Camp”? Esther Newton essentially invented cultural anthropology. She used it to study trans women and drag queens in Chicago, and to write “Cherry Grove, Fire Island.” She’s had health problems in recent years, read her and give her her butch flowers

+ She also gave me her bike when mine was stolen and generously shared her time to talk about how it all was before I was even on this Earth. An incredibly kind, thoughtful, unassuming person (and one of the hottest butches alive in every way)